Virginia Tech

From the Spanish Newspaper ABC.es http://www.abc.es/20070417/internacional-estados-unidos/hombre-armado-causa-mayor_200704170716.html

La repetida y explosiva mezcla de armas de fuego, personalidades psicóticas y centros educativos en Estados Unidos ha vuelto a estallar violentamente ayer en la Universidad Técnica de Virginia, produciendo escenas más típicas de Bagdad que de un idílico campus especializado en ciencia y tecnología. El brutal asalto perpetrado por un «rambo», no identificado por las autoridades al cierre de esta edición, se ha cobrado las vidas de 32 personas, además de una treintena larga de heridos, algunos en estado crítico. Cifras facilitadas por la agencia Associated Press y que colocan este tiroteo como el más letal en la historia del gigante americano.

Translation

Once again the repetitive and explosive mixture of firearms, psychotic personalities and educational centers in the United States combined yesterday to shatter violently the University of Virginia Tech evoking scenes more typical of Baghdad than an idyllic campus specializing in science and technology. The brutal assault perpetrated by a “Rambo”, was not yet identified by the authorities at the closing of this edition. It cost the lives of around 32 individuals. Helpful figures by the Associated Press put this massacre as one of the most lethal in the history of the American giant.

And in another article in the same paper http://www.abc.es/20070417/internacional-estados-unidos/discipulos-columbine_200704170712.html

Lástima que los fantasmas del pasado no hayan escarmentado a un país que ayer volvía a repetir una trágica pesadilla de la que quizás los más de treinta de cadáveres sirvan para regular de una vez por todas la mala costumbre del uso de armas que reina sobre buena parte del país.

Translation

It is a pity that the same ghosts of the past have not learned their lesson in a country where the tragic nightmare repeated itself from that which more than 30 corpses serve to control once and for all the bad tradition of the use of arms that prevails over a good part of the country.

In other words, it’s the guns – not the people who kill (according to the Spanish) not withstanding that the perpetrator was a South Korean Immigrant. Virginia Tech campus does not allow guns, and this perpetrator apparently had guns in his rooms. The old adage still holds true, it will be the criminals who hold the guns.

Of course, massacres happen in Europe too where Guns are theoretically outlawed.

Germany
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/04/27/germany.shooting/

16 killed in Dublin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_massacre

I have but one thing to say. Hurricane Katrina was an example of why the second amendment needs to be defended. I live in California. I would hate to be without a gun should an earthquake hit or should a nuclear bomb be detonated. In such scenes, pandomonium sets in, and chaos will ensue. The innerself goes after what it can to survive. I would not want to be unarmed where I could not protect my family from such scenarios. Then again, you shouldn't be able to purchase a gun like you can a pack of cigarettes - that is a little extreme.


My heart goes out to the families of the deceased.